The present invention relates to a fax machine connected to two telephone lines, wherein two processors are provided in association with two respective telephone interface adapters, and a command buffer is electrically interposed between the processors and transmits command signals therebetween. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fax machine which can simultaneously transmit and receive fax image data via the two telephone lines.
As is well-known, a conventional fax machine has a single processor electrically connected with a scanner and a printer for transmitting or receiving fax image data via a telephone line. As the popularity of fax machines has increased, so has the frequency of use. It is not uncommon now to see an office or company employing several fax machines and dedicating several telephone lines to fax image data.
Although with advances in technology, fax machines are no longer extremely expensive, the total cost of owning several machines does add up. Furthermore, the valuable office space is taken up by several machines. Therefore, a fax machine, such as we are proposing, which can literally take the place of two fax machines would be very desirable, from both the standpoint of convenience and also from the standpoint of cost effectiveness.
It is the purpose of the present invention, therefore, to provide such a fax machine which can simultaneously communicate with two remote fax machines, regardless of whether it is in the process of transmitting or receiving.